Tag Archives: gender-neutral

Birthday by the Seashore

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It is time for another CAS Colours & Sketches challenge. Check out the latest challenge -> #18 – sketch.

CAS Colours & Sketches #18

And here is my take:

by Karen @ Carefree Creations - Birthday by the Seashore

This is such an easy sketch that I know I will use it over and over (heck, I posted a card last weekend that used the sketch – you had a preview and didn’t know it, hee hee).

My colors were very much inspired by last week’s color challenge – but I went with Crumb Cake, Soft Suede, and Riding Hood Red.

For those of you who know my mom – this card will be in the April camp.

Thanks for stopping by!

Make sure you check out the other design team members:
Jacqueline
Kylie
Louise
Paula
Sandie

I hope you join us at CAS Colours & Sketches!

A Little About the Challenge: Posted every Thursday, the challenges alternate between color and sketch (if there is a 5th week you get the double dose of color & sketch).

Happy Birthday
All supplies StampinUp unless otherwise noted.
Stamps: By the Seashore, Best Dad Ever;
Ink/Card Stock: Naturals Ivory, Crumb Cake, Soft Suede, Riding Hood Red, Vanilla;
Other: Circle die;

MIM – Watercolor + Embossing

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Yesterday’s Make-it-Monday challenge at Papertrey was Watercolor + Embossing.

Today I was inspired to take that challenge. I was looking through my Pinterest board looking for inspiration, and found something I had re-pinned last week: a bright geometric pillow.

Here’s my card:

by Karen @ Carefree Creations - Bright Watercolor

I purposefully didn’t blend my colors, but now I’m thinking this might look a little better if I had. So I decided that I needed to do another and the Dot Spot came to mind. So I made another card:

by Karen @ Carefree Creations - Blue Green Watercolor Spots

I’m quite happy with how both cards turned out. I even have a sheet of watercolor paper that I used to soak up the remaining ink from the blue/green card. I’ll try to make something with that soon!

Thanks for taking a peek!

Fabulous Day
All supplies Papertrey Ink unless otherwise noted.
Stamps: B ackground-Basics: Super Stripes, Signature Greetings;
Ink/Card Stock: White, Raspberry Fizz, Orange Zest, Harvest Gold, True Black;
Other: white embossing powder;
Celebrate
All supplies Papertrey unless otherwise noted.
Stamps: Dot Spot, Celebrations;
Ink/Card Stock: White, Enchanted Evening, Hawaiian Shores, New Leaf;
Other: white embossing powder;

Star Spangled Banner

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by Karen @ Carefree Creations - Military Thanks

This week’s CAS-ology challenge cue is Song. I chose to be inspired by the Star Spangled Banner (I even managed a banner on the card!!).

When I first stamped the stars and stripes they ended up being very bold and overpowering the eagle image. One tip I learned in the Pattern Play course was to alter bold patterns to dampen their affect. I used distress inks (Old Paper & Tea Dye) to tone down the colors. Also, I originally cut closely around the eagle, but I think the lack of edge helped it get lost. So I stamped it again and this time left more of an outline; I think that brighter border helps bring focus to the image.

It is hard to tell in the photo, but the sentiment banner has some additional shading. After stamping the banner image with Linen ink, I went back with a Copic marker and slightly darkened the “behind” pieces.

The reason for the anchor is that this will be going to a naval recruit.

Thanks for taking a peek!

Thank You
All supplies Papertrey Ink unless otherwise noted.
Stamps: Est.1776, Bountiful Banners, Paper Tray;
Ink/Card Stock: Kraft, Cream, Linen, Dark Chocolate, Enchanted Evening, Pure Poppy; Distress Inks (Ranger);
Other: Banner die;

Stamp Free

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The latest CAS-ual Friday challenge (#95) is to make a card but NOT use stamps. What?!?

by Karen @ Carefree Creations - Party Pieces Birthday

OK, that was actually easier than I thought. Since I signed-up for the Online Card Class Pattern Play (I say “signed-up” and not “participated” because I am just now getting around to watching the lessons – this week was just too crazy at school!)…um what was I saying – oh yes, pattern paper. I figured I could use pattern paper to make a card without stamps.

In my pattern paper stash are old Stampin’ Up scrapbook kits – complete with pre-printed accents! This card was so quick and easy. I didn’t have to come up with a color scheme – the kit took care of that for me! To bring all my colors together, I took a strip of stripe pattern paper (included in the kit) and used it like I learned in the Pattern Play class.

Thanks for taking a peek!

Happy Birthday
Stamps: None!
Ink/Card Stock: White (PTI);
Other: Party Pieces Scrapbook Kit (StampinUp);

FYI – Desert Balloons

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It is time for another For Your Inspiration challenge. Check out the latest challenge -> FYI42.

FYI Challenge #42

I really like the striking color combination in this photo!

by Karen @ Carefree Creations - Desert Balloons

Honestly, this is probably my 4th attempt at a card (but that is what I get for waiting til the last minute!) – so I went old school simple with this layout (and we won’t talk about how eerily similar it is to the card I post a bit ago).

Thanks for stopping by!

Make sure you check out the other design team members:
Debbie
Michelle
Mynnette
Rochelle
Rudlis
Sara
Steph
Vicki

I hope you join us at For Your Inspiration!

A Little About the Challenge: The For Your Inspiration challenge is posted the first and third Thursday of every month; each challenge is open for two weeks. To play, use the photo to inspire you and create a card – very simple! Make sure you tell us in your blog post how you were inspired!

Birthday Wishes
All supplies Papertrey Ink unless otherwise noted.
Stamps: Up Up Away;
Ink/Card Stock: Pacific Point (SU); Blueberry Pie, White, Terracotta Tile, Canyon Clay, Summer Sunrise;
Other: Up Up Away dies, Linen/Canvas Impression plate;

Shamrock Shower

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March will be here before you know it (who decided February should be so short??). That means I need to get working on my cards for the InkUp stamp camp. This one is easy, but fun!

by Karen @ Carefree Creations - Shamrock Shower

I chose to use this little image because sometimes the little images are the hardest to use. I thought this was a good technique to share.

Another bad photo, sorry! BUT – good news: I finally got a replacement light bulb which means now I actually feel like crafting! (My kiddo wanted to know why I didn’t craft and take photos later – that yellow light was just too depressing…maybe if it wasn’t winter too, lol.) Oh, and another thought – GE Reveal, despite saying it is bright white, is NOT! I had to go to Lowes to find a true white light.

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day
All supplies Stampin’Up unless otherwise noted.
Stamps: Every Little Bit, Teeny Tiny Wishes;
Ink/Card Stock: Gumball Green, Whisper White;
Other: Modern Label punch, Word Window punch;

FYI – Neo Graphic

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It is time for another For Your Inspiration challenge. Check out the latest challenge -> FYI39.

FYI39_2013-02-07

This photo is full of modern design. I pulled my inspiration from the window design and the bright colors.

by Karen @ Carefree Creations: Neo-Graphic Birthday

The bright colors caught my eye first so I pulled out ink that I think represented them well. Next, I chose to work with Square Prints because it has a great triangle image that represented the window design to me.

Since the overall feel of the photo is modern, I kept my card simple and graphic.

Thanks for stopping by!

Make sure you check out the other design team members:
Debbie
Michelle
Mynnette
Regina
Rochelle
Rudlis
Sara
Steph
Vicki

I hope you join us at For Your Inspiration!

A Little About the Challenge: The For Your Inspiration challenge is posted the first and third Thursday of every month; each challenge is open for two weeks. To play, use the photo to inspire you and create a card – very simple! Make sure you tell us in your blog post how you were inspired!

Happy Birthday
Stamps: Square Prints, Birthday Basics (PTI);
Ink/Card Stock: White (PTI); Pacific Point, Tempting Turquoise, Pumpkin Pie (SU);

Orange Motif

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Karen @ Carefree Creations: Orange Motif

Today is day 4 of the Clean & Simple class (don’t worry I haven’t forgotten about day 3…I’m working on it 😉 ). The theme is white space. Since that was my only direction, I looked for a challenge to help me out.

I found two that worked well: a sketch from Less is More and colors and motif from Paper Smooches Sparks (the current Picture Perfect inspiration challenge).

I think this week is the most my heat gun tool has ever been out! For this card, I embossed the motif directly onto the orange card base. Then I cut pieces of grey card stock to frame the motif.

I probably could have gotten away without the top strip, but I liked the strips in the inspiration photo.

Thanks for taking a peek!

Happy Birthday
Stamps: Potpourri, Sentiment Sampler (Paper Smooches);
Ink/Card Stock: Orange Zest, Dark Chocolate (PTI); Sahara Sand (SU);
Other: White embossing powder (Zing);

Birthday Blues

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It is time for another CAS Colours & Sketches challenge. Check out the latest challenge -> #10 – colors & sketch. Since this is a bonus week in the month – you get both a sketch and colors to work with!

2013-01-31

And here is my take:

Karen @ Carefree Creations: Birthday Blues

I’m not normally one to combine challenges, but when I do, I start with the colors – because, to me, they dictate the type of card I’ll be making. Though I will admit that if I can make a birthday card, that is what I’ll do (and did in this instance).

I did have some other thoughts – blue bringing to mind snow or sympathy, but once I found this sentiment I knew the blues would work for a birthday card.

I didn’t want the arrows to overpower the sentiment, so I made sure they were the lightest shade of blue. The frame is medium blue, and the sentiments are dark.

The frame is popped-up on dimensionals – but everything (including the framed sentiment) is stamped directly on the white card base.

Thanks for stopping by!

Make sure you check out the other design team members:
Jacqueline
Kylie
Louise
Sandie

I hope you join us at CAS Colours & Sketches!

A Little About the Challenge: Posted every Thursday, the challenges alternate between color and sketch (if there is a 5th week you get the double dose of color & sketch).

What Goes Up
All supplies Papertrey Ink unless otherwise noted.
Stamps: Movers & Shakers Sentiments, Get to the Point;
Ink/Card Stock: White, Aqua Mist, Enchanted Evening; Island Indigo (SU);
Other: Fabulous Frames die; dimensionals;

Gold Star

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It is time for another CAS Colours & Sketches challenge. Check out the latest challenge -> #9 – sketch.

2013-01-24

And here is my take:

kth_encouragement_proudGoldStar

I’m not quite ready to make Valentine cards, so I looked through my stash to see what other large shape I could use. Since I needed an academic-based congrats card, I went with a star.

It is hard to tell in the photo but the stamped star image on the die-cut star is gold embossed.

Thanks for stopping by!

Make sure you check out the other design team members:
Jacqueline
Kylie
Louise
Sandie

I hope you join us at CAS Colours & Sketches!

A Little About the Challenge: Posted every Thursday, the challenges alternate between color and sketch (if there is a 5th week you get the double dose of color & sketch).

Congrats
Stamps: Super Stars, Fruit Fusion: Apple, Congrats All Ways (PTI); Lined Paper background (Cornish Heritage Farm);
Ink/Card Stock: Hawaiian Shores, Lemon Tart, White, Pure Poppy, Black (PTI);
Other: Gold embossing powder (Filigree); Spiral punch (SU); Star die & Apple die (PTI);